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New National billboard campaign to unite communities against knife crime

New National billboard campaign to unite communities against knife crime

HOME OFFICE News Release (182/2008) issued by COI News Distribution Service. 3 November 2008

A new national billboard campaign encouraging young people and communities to stand together against knife crime was launched today by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.

The new interactive campaign will run in phases throughout the next three months in urban, residential areas across England and Wales, including the ten areas involved in the Tackling Knives Action Programme. Young people will be encouraged to show their support by adding their own anti-knife photo pledges to the Bebo website. Their images will then be included on later versions of the posters in the series which will be unveiled by the Home Secretary next month.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said:

"I want young people to stand united with us in the fight to tackle knife crime and send a clear message that weapons won't be tolerated on our streets.

"Over 60,000 young people have visited the "It Doesn't Have to Happen" page on Bebo and the site has over 6,000 friends.

"The vast majority of young people are honest and law-abiding and it is crucial that we all spread the message more widely that carrying a knife is not acceptable. We can't do this alone - we need the help of local communities to make a stand."

The new billboards are the latest step in the Government's £3 million national marketing campaign, "It Doesn't Have to Happen", which was launched in May this year.

The campaign, created by young people, for young people, has used radio and viral adverts to reach its target audience and direct them to a dedicated page on the Bebo social networking site where they can come together in the fight against knife crime. So far 2.2 million young people have seen the adverts on websites and 1.7 million people have heard the radio adverts.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. More details about the anti-knife crime campaign can be found at: http://www.bebo.com/itdoesnthavetohappen

2. The ten areas taking part in the Tackling Knives Action Programme are London, Essex, Lancashire, West Yorkshire, Merseyside, the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Nottinghamshire, South Wales and Thames Valley. The Programme, which will run until March 2009, is delivering tough enforcement combined with education, prevention work and information campaigns designed to keep youngsters on the right track.

3. For PDF's of the billboards, please contact the Home Office Press Office Newsdesk on 0207 035 3535.

4. Billboards are going live in the following areas on the following dates:

Town Name       Address            Postcode Date posters Poster End
                                                  go live      Date
      HARINGEY        SEVEN SISTERS STN, N15 5LE  17/11/2008   05/04/2009
                      772 SEVEN SISTERS                 ROAD
      HARINGEY        TURNPIKE L ANE     N8 0EP   17/11/2008   05/04/2009
      SOUTHWARK       CAMBERWELL NEW RD  SE5 0RP  17/11/2008   05/04/2009
                      C/O CAMBERWELL STN                 RD
      SOUTHWARK       SOUTHWARK PK RD CO SE16 4TZ 17/11/2008   05/04/2009
                      DRUMMOND RD
      WALTHAM FOREST  SELBOURNE RD C/O   E17 9QF  17/11/2008   05/04/2009
                      HOE STREET,                 WALTHAMSTOW
      WALTHAM FOREST  95-97 HOE          E17 4SA  17/11/2008   05/04/2009
                      ST/MILTON RD
      SLOUGH          RAGSTONE ROAD,     SL1 2PW  03/11/2008   05/04/2009
                      RAILWAY BRIDGE
      SOUTHEND-ON-SEA 23-27 SOUTH CHURCH SS1 2RH  07/11/2008   09/04/2009
                      AVE,SOUTHEND ON                 SEA
      BIRMINGHAM      289 ROOKERY        B21 9PT  03/11/2008   05/04/2009
                      RD/UPLANDS RD,                 HANDSWORTH
      BIRMINGHAM      HANDSWORTH NEW RD  B18 4PG  03/11/2008   05/04/2009
                      FCG BOULTON RD
      BIRMINGHAM      GROVE LANE, 28 NR  B21 9EP  03/11/2008   05/04/2009
                      UNION ROW,                 HANDSWORTH
      COVENTRY        STONEY STANTON RD  CV6 5FS  03/11/2008   05/04/2009
                      ADJ 657
      WOLVERHAMPTON   WEDNESFIELD RD 191 WV10 0EN 06/11/2008   08/04/2009
      DERBY           MONKS STREET       DE22 3QB 05/11/2008   07/04/2009
      LEICESTER       MELTON RD/MOIRA ST LE4 6PN  03/11/2008   05/04/2009
                      BELGRAVE
      NOTTINGHAM      ALFRETON RD        NG7 5LX  03/11/2008   05/04/2009
                      451,RADFORD
      NOTTINGHAM      RADFORD RD ADJ 524 NG7 7EA  04/11/2008   06/04/2009
      OXFORD          GARSINGTON         OX4 6NQ  07/11/2008   09/04/2009
                      RD/COWLEY STATION                 APP (BR)
      STOKE ON TRENT  MARSH STREET,      ST16 3BG 03/11/2008   05/04/2009
                      HANLEY
      MANCHESTER      MOSS LA EAST,CNR   M14 4LZ  05/11/2008   07/04/2009
                      BROADFIELD RD,MOSS                 SIDE
      MANCHESTER      20 UPPER LLOYD     M14 4HZ  03/11/2008   05/04/2009
                      STREET
      MANCHESTER      438 CHEETHAM HILL  M8 9LE   03/11/2008   05/04/2009
                      ROAD
      LIVERPOOL       120 PARK ROAD      L8 8DH   07/11/2008   09/04/2009
      LIVERPOOL       PRIORY ROAD 20     L4 2RY   03/11/2008   05/04/2009
                      ANFIELD
      LIVERPOOL       221 LOWER HOUSE    L11 2SJ  03/11/2008   05/04/2009
                      LANE
      BLACKBURN       156 ACCRINGTON RD  BB1 1UG  04/11/2008   06/04/2009
      BLACKBURN       80 WHALLEY BANKS   BB2 1PB  03/11/2008   05/04/2009
      SHEFFIELD       FIRTH PARK R ADJ   S5 6WL   03/11/2008   05/04/2009
                      89 FIRTH PARK
      BRADFORD        LITTLE HORTON LN   BD5 9ER  03/11/2008   05/04/2009
                      769 BRADFORD
      HUDDERSFIELD    7 THE TRIANGLE     HD1 3JD  07/11/2008   09/04/2009
                      PADDOCK FOOT
      LEEDS           73 RAGLAN ROAD     LS2 9DZ  04/11/2008   06/04/2009
      LEEDS           273 TONG ROAD      LS12 4NQ 03/11/2008   05/04/2009
      KINGSTON UPON   ANLABY ROAD        HU3 6UL  03/11/2008   05/04/2009
      HULL            BOOTHFERRY ROAD                 ROUNDABOUT
      N'CASTLE UPON   WELBECK BINGO      NE6 2PR  03/11/2008   05/04/2009
      TYNE            SCROGG RD C/O                 BYKER ST
      SUNDERLAND      76 SUFFOLK ST C/O  SR2 8RR  03/11/2008   05/04/2009
                      LINDSAY CLOSE
      BRISTOL         ASHLEY RD 109      BS6 5NE  18/11/2008   06/04/2009
      CARDIFF         LLANDAFF NTH,OPP   CF14 2LP 05/11/2008   07/04/2009
                      GARAGE,STN                 RD,LLANDAFF
      CARDIFF         SOUTH PARK ROAD    CF24 2LU 03/11/2008   05/04/2009
      SWANSEA         SIDE WALL OF 10    SA1 8AT  03/11/2008   05/04/2009
                      THOMAS ST, SWANSEA                 CH
      READING         GOSBROOK RD CNR    RG4 8DG  06/11/2008   08/04/2009
                      GEORGE ST READING
      READING         409-411 OXFORD     RG30 1HA 03/11/2008   05/04/2009
                      ROAD
      PORTSMOUTH      GOLDSMITH AVE OPP  PO4 0AN  17/11/2008   05/04/2009
                      LIDL STORE.FRATTON
      PORTSMOUTH      GOLDSMITH AVE OPP  PO4 0AN  03/11/2008   16/11/2008
                      LIDL STORE.FRATTON
      SOUTHAMPTON     320 SHIRLEY ROAD   SO15 3HT 03/11/2008   05/04/2009
      LUTON           BURY PARK          LU1 1HB  03/11/2008   05/04/2009
                      ROAD/WALDECK                 STREET
      BLETCHLEY       SAXON ST NR STN    MK2 2JU  03/11/2008   05/04/2009
                      FCG TFC TO                 QUEENSWAY
      NORWICH         CARROW RD,ADJ      NR1 1JN  04/11/2008   06/04/2009
                      RAILWAY BRIDGE
      PLYMOUTH        LIPSON VALE BRIDGE PL4 7HX  03/11/2008   05/04/2009 


020 7035 3535

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